Twitter announced today a number of updates for their iOS and Android apps, including a new login verification, search suggestions with a social context, and an updated photo gallery in search.
The new login verification enrollment lets users approve login requests directly from their iOS or Android app. It is in addition to the SMS-based login verification that was released in May, and allows users to verify logins without relying on text messages.
According to the announcement on Twitter’s blog, the new login verification includes the following features:
No phone number required: By using push messaging and in-application approvals, users no longer need to provide a phone number to use login verification. If a user manages multiple Twitter accounts, but only has one phone number, they can opt all of the accounts into the login verification.
Broader international support: While login verification via SMS has been available through supported mobile carriers worldwide, it still didn’t cover everybody. Now, all that is needed for the new login verification enrollment is an Internet connection and one of Twitter’s supported apps.
Backup code generation: Backup codes generated in the application can be recorded and stored in a safe place to access an account on Twitter.com if a user’s phone is missing.
More context: Users will see browser details and approximate location in the app when a login request is made. If a request is coming from halfway around the world, the added context can help determine if an account is getting phished.
The apps can be downloaded from Google Play and the App Store. To enroll, users must access the “Me” tab in the Twitter application, open Settings, and tap Security. Android users will have to tap their name before they can select Security. From the Security settings, users can turn on Login verification, and then are instructed to store the generated backup code in a safe place. This code can be used to access an account if a user’s phone is unavailable.
Once a user has enrolled in the new login verification, they will use the Twitter application to approve requests each time they sign in to Twitter.com with their username and password.
In addition to the new login verification, Twitter has updated the mobile apps to include search suggestions that offer social context. Users can now see how they are connected to other users when performing a search, a feature that was introduced on Twitter.com last week.
Also, a new photo gallery has been added to search. Now search results include a “View more photos” option that leads users to a photo gallery of all photos related to a specific search. For iOS users, this photo gallery will appear on user profiles to view all of someone’s photos in one place.
Other iOS-specific updates include list management features that allow users to create, edit and organize lists and subscriptions, and an improved iOS launch performance.
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